Thermal responsive element



P 1, 1947- J. R. ADRIANSEN ETAL' 2,418,150

THERMAL RESPONSIVE ELEMENT Filed Sept. 20, 1945 @nteutetl ll wt? waist2,418,150 v THERMAL nssrousrvn ELEMENT John R. Adriansen, Cincinnati,Ohio, and Robert N. Eek, Whitefish Bay, Wis, assignors to Cutler-Hammer, 1110., Milwaukee, Wis., acorporation of Delaware ApplicationSeptember 20, 1943, Serial No. 503,026

v v l This invention relates to thermal responsive elements of theexpansible fluid type having a closed capillary tube extension formounti withinawell'.

Thermal elements of the aforesaid type are commonly used in switchesforefle'cting temperature control of refrigerating apparatus such aselectric water coolers. In such installations the 1 Claim. (Cl. 297-3)water to be cooled is contained in a tank under considerable pressureand cooling coils are mounted either within the tank or upon theexterior thereof. Also the tank is commonly provided with a deep Wellfor receiving the capillary tube extension of a temperature controlswitch to enable mounting of the switch in an accessible locationoutside the tank and to also facilitate rapid heat transfer between thewater and'the capillary tube as is required for close temperatureregulation. However, it has heretofore been dimcult to obtain goodthermal contact between the capillary tube and the inner surface of thewell, and the general object of the present invention is to provide animproved capillary tube construction which overcomes this diiiiculty.

Another object is to provide an improved capilend portion which isformed by two oppositely disposed spaced hairpin bends 4 and 6. The

bends 4 and Bare disposed atan angle to each other and provide legs 6and I which are disposed in triangular relation .with respect to thestem portion 3. As shown in Fig. 1, leg 6, diverges slightly withrespect to the stem portion I and leg I diverges slightly with respectto leg 5.

As hereinbefore set forth, electric water coolers arercommonly providedwith atank which contains the water and isprovided with a deep well forreceiving the capillary tube extension of a temperature control switchto enable mounting of V the switch outside the tank and to alsofacilitate rapid heat transfer between the water and the capillary tube:as is required for close temperature regulation. c

Fig. 3 illustrates the well member 8 of a water cooler and alsoillustrates the above described capillary tube in assembled positionwithin said well. The diameter of well I is such that up n insertion oftube I therein the legs 6 and I on lary tube construction having aresilient portion which is flexed upon insertion into the well to insureproper positioning and good thermal contact of the tubewithin the well.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention'will hereinafterappear. 7

The accompanying drawing illustrates an emthe end of said tube areflexed with respect to each other andwith respect'to the stem portion 3.Thus when the tube is inserted into the open end of well 3 and slid intothe position shown in i Fig. 3'the legs 6' and I and stem 3 yieldinglyengage the inner surface of the well, as shown in Fig. 4, to insure goodthermal contact of the tube within the closed enact the well, as isrequired for proper temperature regulation of refrigeratbodiment of theinvention which will now be described, it being understood that variousmodifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the appended claim,

In the drawing,

Figure l is a side elevational view of a thermal responsive elementembodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the capillary tube shown in Fig. lwith the tube turned 90 deg. from the position shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the capillm tube within a well,and

Flat. d is an enlarged sectional view on line 6-4 of Fig. 3. a

Reterrlng to Fig. 1, the same illustrates a thermal responsive elementof the expansible fluid type comprising a capillary tube I having with along stem portion 3 and a short resilient 60 2,336,092

ing apparatus such as water coolers.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A thermal responsive element having a closed v 5 in the intermediate legportion thereof and transverse stressing of said tube at said bends uponinsertion of the end portion thereof within said well to thereby insuregood thermal contact of said tube with the interior surface of saidwell. JOHN R. ADRLANSEN. ROBERT N; ECK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 56 fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Olson May 2'7, 1941 Grooms Dec.7, 1943

